United to Launch First-Ever Continental U.S. Nonstop Service to Sapporo

United Airlines is adding the first-ever nonstop service between the continental U.S. and Sapporo, Japan.

Starting in December 2026, United will fly from San Francisco (SFO) to Sapporo (CTS) three times weekly through March 2027, a first for any U.S. airline. United will operate the service on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets.

At the same time, United is adding more flights to Tokyo, this time from Chicago. Starting on Oct. 24, 2026, United will fly from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) daily, year-round, on its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jets. United will be the only U.S. airline flying this specific route.

United says the Tokyo-Narita flight not only connects Chicago to a major Japanese hub, but also provides connections deeper into Asia. From Narita, guests can then connect to 21 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region on United or its partner ANA, including Cebu (Philippines), Palau, and Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).

United has quickly become the most dominant player connecting the U.S. to Japan. It now serves four Japanese airports (NRT, HND, KIX, and CTS) from the continental U.S., plus Nagoya (NGO) from Guam.

In 2025, United flew more than 1.8 million passengers between the two countries—more than all other U.S. airlines combined.